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When you think about popchips, the crunchy, salty, feather-light potato chip that seems to be everywhere--particularly in the top 10 of FORBES 2013 Most Promising Companies list--you probably think about the famous faces that (at least claim to) eat them. Ashton Kutcher, Bruno Mars and—most recently—Katy Perry have done promotional spots for the brand, making it clear that CEO Keith Belling is a believer in the power of celebrity.

But FORBES recently caught up with Belling, 55, in popchips' San Francisco HQ, where he revealed there’s a much more powerful ingredient in the company’s marketing mix—and it just might be you. “The influencer strategy hasn’t been built around celebrities,” Belling told us. “We’re looking for influencers within every marketplace, who are the people who help influence decision-makers within that community.”

Belling says influencer marketing was critical from day one, when popchips was just a little indie brand that could. They knew they didn’t have the budget for a traditional ad campaign, so how else to get the word out? By getting as many snacks into the hands that mattered—first in California and then across the country as the brand grew. Notable early placements included the corporate campuses of Facebook and Google, where the rising technorati became early fans. “We focused on getting popchips into the hands of tastemakers and influencers wherever they were, from the fashionistas at Mercedes Benz fashion week to the passengers on Virgin Airlines.”

The popchips strategy isn’t unique—marketers have relied on word-of-mouth buzz since the beginning of time—but his dedication to seeking out the “it” spokespeople on social media, online or in Hollywood is one that entrepreneurs looking to replicate his success should take note of. In five years on the market popchips has exceeded expectations: $93.7 million in 2012 revenue, an estimated $375 valuation and a spot on FORBES 2013 list of America's Most Promising Companies.